


THE RAG-CARPET BEE 



5lln oEntettaiument in <&nt %tt 



BY 

ELIZABETH GALE 



Copyright, 1911, by Samuel Frenxh 



New York London 

SAMUEL FRKNCll SAMUEL FREN'CH, Ltd, 

PUBLISHER i 26 Southampton Street 

28-30 WEST 38TH STREET i STRAND 






THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 



Cbaracters. 

Aunt Sally Malta. . . .rather elderly and very hind 

Mrs. Bolton inclined to tears 

Laurixa Payton a devotee of fashion 

Susan Gibbs plurnp and good natured 

Lena Gibbs her sister-in-law 

Minnie Minnows a neighborly woman 

.Nancy Vreeland. . . .burdened witli a cow, a child, 

and a husband 

Mandie Vreeland..' ; . -. the child 

Sarah Simmons, .-.jmo Wees to knoiu the reason why 



Synopsis. 



Mrs. Bolton, who has been living in New York for 
nearly seven years, returns to her home in the country, 
having acquired some culture and a little money. She 
is very proud of her position among the people she 
used to know, but, unfortunately, in her haste, the first 
time she goes to church she puts her hat on backwards. 
Since it is Mrs. Bolton who is wearing it, it is mistaken 
for a new style and every one in the neighborhood fol- 
lows her example. The confusion which results from 
this foolishness is the theme of the play. 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 



SCENE. —Aunt Sally Maria's sitting-room. It is a 
homelike, cosy room in a farmhouse, but just now 
the furniture has been pushed back against the 
walls to make place for ten chairs which Aunt 
Sally is arranging, for there is to be a rag-carpet 
cutting bee this afternoon. On one of the chairs 
to the right is a rag-bag. The table, which is at the 
extreme left, is covered with a red and white cloth, 
there are old-fashioned prints and mottoes on the 
walls and a clock on the mantel. At the back of 
the room is a window and to the right of it a door 
through which the guests enter. 

During the action of the entertainment — the char- 
acters during the conversation are busily engaged 
cutting and rolling the carpet rags. 

Aunt Sally Maria (si//giuj^ as she works). 

In the old churchyard in the valley, Ben Bolt, 

In a corner obscure and alone, 
They have fitted a slab of the granite so gray. 

And sweet Alice lies — 

Humph ! Under the table ! It does beat all, though, 
how you find things when you ain't lookin' for 'em. 
Here I searched the house over last night lookin' for 
that spool of forty cotton and now, when I ain't thinkin' 
about it, it, as you might say, rolls right out at me. 
Well, well, well ! 

3 



4 THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

{There is a rap at the door and Mrs. Bolton, not 
waiting for a respo?ise, flutters in. She is weeping.) 

Mrs. Bolton. Aunt Sally Maria ! 

Aunt Sally Marl4. Why, bless us and save us all ! 
Euphemia Eugenia Bolton, you here so early ! Why, 
{going to her sympathetically) what's the matter with you, 
Genie ? You ain't comin' to my rag-carpet cuttin' bee 
with tears in your eyes, are you ? 

Mrs. Boltcn. Aunt Sally, I've got the most dread- 
ful thing to tell you. 

Aunt Sally Maria. You have ? Well, it is a long- 
time since you came to me with your troubles. Genie 
{seating herself and drawing tip another chair). Now sit 
right down here beside me and tell me all about it. 

Mrs. Bolton. I-I c-can't come to the bee this after- 
noon, I've just come to tell you that. 

Aunt Sally Maria. Not comin' to my rag-carpet 
cuttin' bee ! Why, that's what I'm havin' it for, so that 
folks can come and see you. Land knows I ain't 
hankerin' to have ' em cut my rags all crooked, like 
they will — and some of them good rags too. Why, 
there is a red dress there that I wore to the county fair 
in — Well, I guess you don't care what year it was in 
when you are so full of your own troubles. Now, jest 
take off that bonnet and tell me what's the matter with 
you. 

Mrs. Bolton. It is the bonnet that's the matter, 
Aunt Sally. You know it is nearly seven years since we 
left here, and now that we have come back with lots 
more money and style and everything, and everybody 
is watching us and being curious, I naturally felt a little 
proud of it and wanted to show off some, especially the 
first time I went to church, which was yesterday. And 
there, what do you think I did ? I went with my hat on 
backwards ! What shall I ever do ! {She loeeps hysteri- 
cally) 

Aunt Sally Maria. Well, I never ! You always 
was a little flighty, Genie, but you generally managed 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 5 

to get your clothes on right. How did it happen any- 
way ? 

Mrs. Bolton. Well, we had the Judge visiting us 
and I was a little proud and excited about that too, 
and I got late for church and at the last minute 1 just 
picked up my hat and pinned it on without looking in 
the glass and — Oh, dear! when I think of how I went 
sailing up the aisle feeling so proud of who I was and 
how I looked ! What shall 1 ever do I {S/w b?-eaks 
down again completely.) 

Aunt Sally Maria {coni/orting/y). Well now, I 
wouldn't feel so bad about it, Genie. Like as not I've 
gone about with my hat on backwards too sometimes, 
for I ain't no great hand to look in the glass either. 
Besides, it didn't give you any sort of a pain, did it? 

Mrs. Bolton. N-no, but — -^ 

Aunt Sally Maria. And you don't think it hurt 
anybody's feelin's? 

Mrs. Bolton N-no, but 

Aunt Sally Maria. W'eil, if it didn't hurt you nor 
anybody else it ain't worth cryin' about. {rising) 
Lands ! From the way you talked when you first came 
in I thought you'd lost a settin' hen or something real 
tragic like that. Here, give me that bonnet and I'll 
put it over on the table where you needn't look at it 
nor think about it. 

Mrs. Bolton But suppose some one speaks of it ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. Like as not no one saw it at 
all, but there's no man overboard even if they laugii 
right out about it. You mustn't be so afraid of your 
dignity, Genie. It's a mighty frail sort that can't stand 
a few jolts. But here comes Laurina Payton and the 
Gibbs girls. Goodness sakes 1 dry your eyes and try 
to smile a little bit. 

Mrs. Bolton (going to the ivindou'). Why, Aunt 
Sally 1 AuHt Sally Maria I They all have their hats 
on backwards ! 

Aunt Sally Maria {going hack to the window). 
Well, did you ever ! 



r; THE RAG-CARl ET BEE. 

Mrs. Bolton Are you going to tell them about it ? 

Aunt Sally Maria {^hesitatingly). I do-on 't 
know as 1 will. If it was anybody but Laurina Payton 
I would, but she's so sort of uppish. And then seein' 
that you're here. Genie, they all might be a little embar- 
rassed about it. And — and as far as I can see, it don't 
make no real difference how folks wear their bonnets. 

( There is a rap at the door and Laurina Payton, and 
Susan and Lena Gibbs come in. Laurina is 
very much overdressed and gives herself a great 
many nnnecessary airs.) 

Laurina. How-dy-do, Aunt Sally Maria. We ain't 
too early, are we ? " 

Susan. How do you do ? 

Lena. How do you do, Aunt Sally Maria ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. Why, how do you do ? No, 
you ain't too early. I've had things righted around 
and waitin' for you for quite a spell, and here's Genie 
Bolton got here ahead of you. 

Susan. Why, how are you, Mrs. Bolton ? Of course 
I saw you at church yesterday, but I guess this is the 
first time I've spoken to you for seven years. 

Lena. How do you do, Mrs. Bolton ? It seems 
good to see you after you've been away so long. 

Mrs. Bolton I am very glad to see you all again. 

Laurina — But I suppose you'll find rag-cuttin' bees 
kinder dull after all the theaters and things you've got 
used to in New York. 

Mrs. Bolton. Oh, I don't know. I'm rather glad 
to be home agam. 

Susan — Yes, I know jest how you feel. I went to 
New York once and stayed two whole days, and, my 
lands ! wasn't I glad to get back again ! I went 
around one afternoon in a sight-seein' automobile and, 
would you believe it ? there wasn't a place in the whole 
city where you could sit on your back porch without 
the neighbors peekin' over the fence at you. How 
could anybody feel real homey in a place like that ? 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. ; 

Lena. Living's sort of high there too, ain't it? 

Mrs. Bolton. Y-yes, I guess it is. 

Susan. Well, 1 should sa}- it was. I saw folks 
there buying apples for ten cents a quart that no one in 
this neighborhood would think good enough to pick up 
off the ground. Well, there is all sorts of livin'. 1 
guess. Some folks, like us in the country here, think 
they can't live without eatin' good, and some folks, like 
them in the city, think they can't live without dressin' 
tine, and sakes alive ! the clothes they wear ! You'd 
wonder sometimes how anybody could think to put 
sech things together. And their hats ! You wouldn't 
believe that any woman that didn't have to would carry 
so much as I've seen on their heads. 

Laurina. Well, I suppose they wear what's style 
and you can't blame 'em for that, can you ? 

( There is a rap at the door and Nancy Vreeland comes 
in, her hat is on backwards and she is very much out 
of breath. Aunt Sally and Mrs. Bolton ex- 
cha7ige glafices as they notice the hat.) 

Nancy. Oh, how d' do. Aunt Sally ? Whew 1 It's 
warm walkin' so fast, {turning to the others) I saw you 
folks comin' and tried to catch up to you but you walked 
too fast. Why, how are you, Mrs. Bolton ? 

Mrs. Bolton {shaking hands). How do you do ? I 
am very glad to see you again. 

Nancy. And I'm real glad to see you. 

Aunt Sally Maria. Now, folks, jest settle yourselves 
around comfortable. You can put your wraps over 
there on the table while I sort out the rags. ( While they 
are disposing of their wraps she opens the rag-bag and 
Mrs. Bolton comes over to talk to her) 

Mrs. Bolton {aside). Did you see, Aunt Sally ? 
They are all on backwards. How do you suppose it 
ever happened ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. I suppose it happened with 
them jest as it did with you. They got a little flustered 
and forgot to look in the glass. 



,S THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

Mrs. Boj/roN. But — 

Aunt Sally A1arl\ {aloud). I hope you all 
brought your scissors. 

All. Yes, I did. 

Nancy. And speakin' of bringin' things, Aunt Sally 
Maria, 1 jest had to bring that cow of mine along. A 
while back she was all for buckin' down the fences and 
runnin' away, so we tied her with a rope, and, my land 1 
now if she ain't everlastin'ly twistin' herself up in it 
and most breakin' her neck. I brought Mandie too 
so that she could watch the cow and 1 could sort of 
keep my eye on her at the same time. I hope you 
won't mind my tyin' her to the apple-tree in the side 
yard, will you ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. Who, Mandie ? 

Nancy. No, Aunt Sally, the cow. But I wish I did 
know some way of keepin' track of that child of mine. 
She's jest like her father, forever and always doin' 
the wrong thing. 

Mrs. Bolton. Oh, let me cut that red dress. I 
remember when you wore it. Aunt Sally, 

Aunt Sally Maria. I guess everybody remembers 
that, child. I wore it about ten years and it has been 
to eight weddin's. 

Lena. It seems a pity to cut into anything so full of 
remembrance as that. 

Susan. Nonsense ! It'll make a bright spot in the 
carpet and I bet you a cookie she'll laugh every time 
she steps on it and think of the day she and me got 
chased through Jonathan Willet's wheat-field by the 
turkey gobblers, and he came out with his horsewhip 
and, says he — 

{Enter Mandie.) 

Mandie. Ma, Lib Doolittle wants me to come over 
and play with her. Can't I go ? I don't want to watch 
the old cow. 

Nancy. Mandie, you go right back and watch that 
cow before she breaks her neck. Lib can stay and 
help you if she wants to. 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 9 

Mandie {complainingly). Oh, Ma- 

AuNT Sally Maria. Do, child, try to keep that cow 
off your Ma's mind while she's cuttin' carpet rags. 
And, Mandie, there's a pan of sweet apples out in the 
shed if you and Lib wants 'em. 

Mandie. Yes, m'am. Thank you. {Exit) 

Laurina. Nancy, if 1 was you \\\ sell that cow. 
Sech a nuisance as she is to you. {turning to Aunt 
Sally) I ain't real used to cuttin' carpet rngs, Aunt 
Sally. Is that about the right width ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. It seems to me you are get- 
tin' it a bit wide, Laurina. 

{There is another rap at the door and Minnie Minnows 
enters, her hat on hackivards and some old clothes 
over her arm.) 

Minnie. How d' do, Aunt Sally ? How d' do, every- 
body. Why, how do you do, Mrs Bolton ? You're 
quite a stranger, and it's sort of good to see you back 
again. 

Mrs. Bolton. Thank you. I am very glad to be 
here. 

Susan. What's that you've got over your arm, 
Minnie ? It looks like you'd brought your mendin' 
along. 

Minnie {holding up a very old pair of trousers). 
No, they're past mendin', but I think dim colors is sort 
of restful in a carpet, sol washed 'em out and brought 
'em along to cut. Besides, I always feel sort of neigh- 
borly when I can bring something along. Don't you 
think they'll work in pretty nice. Aunt Sally Maria ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. They're jest the thing to tone 
down some of my giddiness, Minnie. 

{Enter Mandie.) 

Mandie {excitedly). Ma ! Ma ! The cow has got 
herself all twisted up again ! 

Nancy. Well, go and untwist her. That's what 
I left vou out there for. {Exit Mandie) I never seen 



10 THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

such a helpless child. She's jest like her Pa, always 
wantin' some one else to do things for him. If all hus- 
bands was like him ! 

Aunt Sally Maria {laughi/ig). He's quite some 
trouble to you, ain't he, Nancy? 

Susan. I wonder sometimes you don't bring him 
along with Mandie and the cow. 

Lena. I'll never forget the time he fell head-fore- 
most into the well while he was tryin' to fish out your 
new sunshade that you. happened to drop in. 

Mrs. Bolton. It seems to me that everybody 
dropped things into that well. Once, when 1 was a 
little girl, I let my new hat fall in — (^s/ie stops in 
confusion). 

Laurina. And speakin' of hats, Mrs. Bolton, I hope 
you won't mind my sayin' that I liked the hat you 
wore yesterday right well. You looked real fine in it. 
That new backy effect ain't jest becomin' to every one 
but we are all wearin' it since it's style. That's one 
thing we folks always do try to do even if we do live 
way off in the country and away from everything — 
we do try to keep our clothes in style. 

Nancy. Yes, maybe we are kinder backwoodsy in 
some ways, but we do like to follow the style when 
we know it. 

Mrs. Bolton. Oh, I — I 

Minnie. I'd jest as leave wear a sunbonnet as any 
other kind of a hat that 1 know of as far as comfort goes. 
But Laurin.i here, is always huntin' out sonjething new 
and talkin' it up till, lawsey me! it's more comfortable 
t ) wear what she tells you than to listen to her sputter 
about it. 

Laurina {haughtily). From the way you folks talk 
s uuetimes a body'd think it was you that did me a 
fivor instead of me workin' hard tryin' to keep you all 
up-to-date lookin'. There is little or no thanks give 
me. 

Minnie. Oh, 1 didn't mean no offense, Laurina. 

Lena. We are all glad of what you do, Laurina, 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. If 

even if we don't say nuich about it; and it's real satis- 
fyin' to feel stylish, 

Susan. Well, I can't say as I ever felt jest stylish 
in my life, but I am keen after new ideas and when 
one comes along, whether it is about a bonnet or a pie 
crust I usually take up with it. 

Laurina. And now that we are talkin' about bon- 
nets, maybe Mrs. Bolton would try hers on for us and 
let us look at it again. Nobody got a real good view of 
it yesterday. 

Susan "^ 

Lena [ ,. , 
^. > Yes, do. 

Nancy j 

Minnie J 

Mrs. Bolton (m dismay). I couldn't. I — I — 
You don't know 

Susan. Why, there ain't nothin' to be bashful about. 
You look real pretty in it. 

{They hand her the hat, and Aunt Sally, ivho has bee?i 
busying herself 7vith the rags, stops and looks on 
curiously^ 

Mrs. Bolton. Oh, 1 don't know 

Susan. Pshaw! What a lot of coaxin' it takes to 
get you to show off a new bonnet. 

Laurina. You're most as bad as Min Minnows 
with her piano playin'. 

Lena. Do put it on, Mrs. Bolton. 

(Mrs. Bolton puts it on backwards as she ivore it to 
church.) 

{Chorus of— M-my / Ah-h ! Oh-h ! Ain't tliat pretty I) 

Lena. That's what Miss Swinton, the new milliner 
up at town, would call unique. 

Laurina. Of course we're a little late gettin' things 
here in the country and we haven't known about this 
style for very long, but in the city I suppose it is 
almost old now, ain't it ? 

Mrs. Bolton {weakly). Almost. 



12 ■ THE RAG CARPET BEE. 

Susan. Aio't folks wearin' it much now? 

Mrs. Bolton. Not very much. 

Laurina. But if it was real old style 1 suppose you 
wouldn't wear it. 

Lena. It seems to me real becoming What do you 
think about it, Aunt Sally ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. Think ? I — I ain't got words 
to say what I think. 

{^Shrieks from the yard and Man die rushes to the door.) 

Mandie. Ma ! Ma! Come quick. The cow's 
loose and she's chasin' Lib Doolittle all around the 
yard. Oh, Ma ! Come ! {Exit) 

Nancy {as she runs out). My land, that cow ! 

{All of the others except Av^t Sally and Mrs. Bolton 
follow. ) 

Laurina. {tragically). Somebody stop her ! 

Minnie. Gracious ! 

Lena. Lawsey me ! Is she hurt ? 

Susan {being the last to reach the door). If I 
wasn't so hefty, now, I'd run and catch her. 

Aunt Sally Maria {as she and Mrs. Bolton are 
left alone). Genie Bolton, take off that bonnet. 

Mrs. Bolton {begifining to cry). B-but, Aunt Sally, 
what else could I do ? Here they all thought it was a 
new style and I just couldn't tell them. 

Aunt Sally Maria. You couldn't tell 'em what 
geese they all was when you're leadin' 'em. My land 
of Goshen ! Bein' as you've jest come from New York 
they'd try to follow you if you told 'em it was style to 
set on their heads. Laurina Payton is just style crazy, 
to say nothin' about the rest. I never was so upset in 
my life — and yet I want to laugh too. It seems to me 
that when they come back in you'd better jest tell 'em 
how it was and then you could all laugh together. 

Mrs. Bolton. Laugh ! Do you think they'd laugh 
about it ? Why, they'd be so mad at me they would 
like to shake me. It is too late to tell it now. 



THE RAG-CARPET J3EE. 13 

Lena {from without). Gracious sakcs 1 Have you 
got her, Nancy ? Do tie her good and fast this time. 

Aunt Sally Maria. Yes, yes, do tie somethin' 
good and fast. My head is spinnin' around Hke a top. 

Mrs. Bolton. Promise me, Aunt Sally, won't you, 
that you won't tell ? I just couldn't stand it to have 
them all going for me at once, and that is just what 
they would do. 

Aunt Sally MarL'\. No, 1 can't promise you. I 
don't feel responsible for what I am goin' to say. 1 
feel 'most as turned around as your bonnet is. 

{A /I come in from the yard very much rumpled and out 
of breathy and they take their places again fanning 
themselves and mopping their faces.) 

Nancy. My lands! Sech a cow! And sech a 
young one! She's just like her Pa for all the world. 
Good gracious ! 

Susan {sinking into a chair). Mercy on us! Sakes 
alive ! If 1 ever get my breath back I won't lose it 
again chasin' cows. My though ! 

Lena. Why don't you get rid of her, Nancy ? 

Nancy. Well, I don't know. I've had her so long- 
now that she seems like one of the family. 

(Aunt Sally Maria has gathered up the rags and is 
beginning to stuff them buck into the bag.) 

Susan. What are you doing. Aunt Sally Maria .^ 
Ain't we goin' to cut no more ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. I am so upsot and turned 
around and flustered — and what with the cow gettin' 
you so het up and all — I guess, somehow, we'd better 
put up the scissors before we cut ourselves. 

Lena. Why, how you talk. Aunt Sally ! I never 
saw you upsot before in my life. 

Susan. There ain't anything much happened, has 
there ? 

Aunt Sally Maria. No, 'tain't much, I think — 



1 ! THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

it's jest foolishness, but when you let foolishness get 
a-holt of you it's terrible upsettin' 

Susan, 'i'hat's right, that's right. And when you're 
upset and flustered there ain't nothin' like bein' alone 
for a spell to get yourself straightened out, so 1 guess 
we'd better be goin'. Anyway, Jacob wanted early 
supper to-night. {She takes up he?' hat and thought- 
lessly puts it on as she is used to 7vea7'ing it.) 

Laurina. Well, I guess I'll be goin' too if you 
ain't goin' to do any more cuttin'. 

Minnie. And I may as well keep you company. 

Aunt Sally Maria [gazing about as they all put 
their hats on backwards). My land of Goshen 1 

{Enter Sarah Simmons.) 

Sarah. Well, I should say, my land of Goshen ! 
Goodness gracious sakes alive ! What are you all 
tryin' to do ? Why, every blessed one of you has their 
bonnets on backward. 

Laurina {indignantly). Sarah ! 

Sarah. Yes, it's me, Lauriny. What have you got 
your bonnet on backwards for ? Looks like you'd 
been struck by a cyclone and got part twisted one way 
and part another. 

Laurina. My hat ain't on backwards, Sarah Sim- 
mons. This is the latest style even if you don't 
know it. 

Sarah. Well, 1 never 1 

Nancy. Some folks has a little pride. 'Tain't every 
one that wants to be backwoodsy and queer. When 
styles change, I, for one, change with them. 

Sarah. Well, I never I {catching sight of Susan) 
Susan 1 Susan Gibbs ! You've got your bonnet right 
side foremost ; maybe you can tell me what's the 
matter with the rest of them. 

Susan {in great cofifusion putting her hand to her 
head). Why, I — I — . Gracious! 

Laurina. Susan, you've got your hat on back- 
wards. 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. l - 

Aunt Sally Maria. My head is goin' around like 
a windmill. 

Sarah. Susan Gibbs, how did you mean to put 
that bonnet on ? 

Susan. 1 — I can't tell a lie, Sarah, 1 meant to put 
it on backwards. 

Sarah. And what, accordin' to your notion, is 
backwards ? 

Susan. Well, it's nothin' to get so het up about, 
Sarah. What's backwards and what ain't all depends 
on how you look at it. 

Sarah. This must be all Laurina Payton's doin's. 
She always is gettin' holt of crazy ideas, though 
goodness knows you have all hed your bonnets long- 
enough to know how to put 'em on, no matter what 
she says. Laurina's had her own three years. J 
remember when she bought it. Susan, you have had 
yours five years and Lena's had hers seven. Now, when 
I've seen a bonnet with its flowers noddin' over any- 
one's face for seven years it kinder gives me a shock 
to come on 'em, all of a sudden, droppin' over their 
back hair and I'd like to know the why of it. 

Nancy. 1 don't know what call you've got to come 
and interfere this way. I for one don't mean to be 
interfered with. You needn't say anything about my 
hat, Sarah Simmons. 

Lena {on the verge of tears). I — I don't see what 
right you've got to come around here shamin' folks for 
and pokin fun at 'em. I can't help it if I have had 
my bonnet seven years. Land knows I've wanted 
another. 

Sarah. I ain't findin' fault with your bonnet, Lena. 
I know right well it's a good one or you couldn't have 
worn it so long, but I would like to know^ how you all 
come to get so twisted around {putting her hand to 
her eyes). It jest makes me dizzy to look at you.) 

Laurina. There ain't no use tryin' to explain to 
you, Sarah. I've tried talkin' style to you before, and 
one needn't look twice to see that it wasn't any use. 



](3 THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

Sarah. It begins to look, then, as if 1 wasn't goin' 
to find out how it all happened. 

Aunt Sally Maria {rising to the ottasioii). I guess 
it was this way, Sarah. Their heads got so turned 
thinkin' about stylishness that they jest had to turn 
their bonnets to match. But I think 1 can straighten 
'em out. {As she sees Mrs. Bolton edging toivard the 
door) Don't go, Genie. All you need to do is to 
right your bonnet around. Now, when I was a little 
girl my Ma used to say to me, '• Sally Maria," says she, 
" if you want to look nice you must always be neat and 
not too fussy, and if you want to be well dressed, 
accordin' to my notion, don't ever take up too sudden 
with a new style. And anyway, Sally Maria," says 
she, "'tain't fine clothes, it's how you act in this world 
that counts, so never let your stylishness get ahead of 
your common sense." And every time I've forgot that 
I've got myself into trouble, jest like you've all done 
now. 

Once on a time, a long while ago, I had a new blue 
silk dress, also I had a pair of hoops. Hoops was jest 
comin' into style then and Ma didn't like 'em. " Sally 
Maria," says she, " they ain't sensible." But I wore 
'em anyway jest because the other girls did and they 
was style, and one day when 1 had 'em on with my new 
silk dress, my cousin, Jimmy Decker, was at our house, 
and says he, " Sally Maria," says he, " how tine you 
look to-day." And I put up my head and begun to 
think I was pretty nice what with my new dress and 
my stylish hoops and all, and then Ma calls me, and 
says she, " Jest take this pan of sour milk down 
cellar." So I took the pan, all the time thinkin' so 
hard about how nice I looked and how fine it was to be 
stylish that before I knew it slop ! went the sour milk 
and me and the new silk dress and hoops right down 
on the cellar fioor. 

Now, that is the kind of thing that you have all been 
doin' — thinkin' so hard about your style that before 
you know it you're lookin' as silly as I did on the cellar 



THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 17 

floor in the sour milk. But lucky for you, you haven't 
spoiled your bonnets as I did my dress. 

Laurina. Aunt Sally Maria, I've got somethin' to 
say, and it's jest this : every one that wore hoop skirts 
didn't fall into sour milk, and some folks can follow 
style and keep their heads at the same time. 

Aunt Sally Maria. Not many, Laurina. 

Nancy. Well, T for one ain't done nothin' foolish 
yet. 

Aunt Sally Maria. Yes, you have. You all have. 
Yesterday Genie Bolton got a little excited coming 
to church here for the first time in seven years, and in 
her excitement she put her bonnet on wrong side fore- 
most. 

All. What ! What ! 

Aunt Sally Maria. Yes, that's what it was, but 
you seein' it was Genie that wore it, mistook it for 
style, and when she sees you all come paradin' in with 
yours on the same way, partly because she's ashamed 
to say what a mistake she's made, and partly because 
she don't want to hurt your feelings, she don't tell you 
but keeps right on puttin' her bonnet on wrong too, till 
land knows how far you all would have got with your 
fooUshness if Sarah hadn't come in and seen you. 
Ain't that right. Genie ? 

• Mrs. Bolton {who has been silently crying). Y-yes, 
Aunt Sally Maria. 

Laurina. W^ell, did you ever hear of such a thing ! 
The idea of Genie Bolton comin' back here and playin' 
such a trick on us. 

Mrs. Bolton. It wasn't any trick. I n-never 
m-meant to do it ! 

Susan. And you know, Laurina, every single one 
of us would have thought it was on backwards, just 
like it was, if you hadn't jumped at the idea that 
because it was Mrs. Bolton wearing it. it must be style. 
And then, like a lot of sillies, we all do as you tell us. 
Well, I am ready to laugh at myself now and all the 
rest of you too, for that matter. 



18 THE RAG-CARPET BEE. 

Minnie {taking off her hat). 1 guess we do look 
kinder silly. 

Sarah. I guess you do, and I thank my stars that 
I never give wji'self up to style. 

Laurina {slowly — she has taken off her hat and is 
looking at it thoughtfully). I am so upset and taken 
aback that I am almost ready to promise myself that 
I will never wear anything but a sunbonnet for the 
rest of my life. 

Aunt Sally Maria. . Well, a sunbonnet is at least 
sensible, Laurina. 

{Screams from the yard and Mantua rushes to the door.) 

Mandie. Ma 1 Ma 1 The cow's chasin' Lib again 
and she's almost got her. Oh, Ma, come ! 

{^They all go towards the door with exclamations of — 
^^ Goodness gracious/'^ ^^ My land/" ^' Mercy 
on us I ") 

CURTAIN. 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



MAR 20 191 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




017 199 313 1 # 



